Tuesday 2 August 2011

Ho chi min!

Well, here we are in Saigon (or Ho Chi Min)! We have just arrived at our hotel and have all had a well deserved nap after our experience's on the night train down here, 15 hours of swaying (endlessly) back and forth and... cosy conditions made for an exciting journey but also a tiring one with our 5a.m. arrival. It was a lot of fun however, a few of us got on the train to find some strange vietnamese lady sitting in our beds, washing apples on a moving vehicle is not an easy task as I found out and Molly and Josie made a new mouse friend which was living in their cabin on the train! But we survived and that's the main thing!
         We are soon heading off to go and see the tunnels! I'm not entirely sure what the tunnels are but I hear they're one of the things to visit while your in the area so I guess it will be good! Tommorow we're off to the mekong delta for a few nights so much more excitement to look foward to our end, not long now until we're back to our homes either, which many of us (including myself) will be very much foward to seeing again!
        We're all missing you all and will update you soon im sure! Thanks for reading everyone, its lovely to have your comments! Jack x

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like an adventure!!! You should get Harry to tell you the story of big brother Ben and his passport on a train in India...(I'll leave it at that Ben, but you knew that you'd never hear the end of that...).

    I'm desperately jealous of the tunnel trip and the upcoming delta experience, hopefully you'll get a bit of history today which will really make you all think.

    Sounds like the hotel is a return to reality after Hoi An? Remember this is a good thing as you are now so close to saying farewell to both Vietnam and the team. It will help you appreciate your own beds in 6 days!!

    Since I got here before Mr Nicholl's and you're in Ho Chi Minh/ Saigon a few songs for the "playlist"..."19" - Paul Hardcastle; The Heat is on - Don Henley; "Good Night Saigon" - Billy Joel. Also amazed that you haven't mentioned so far either REM's "Orange Crush" or Creedance Clearwater's "Bad Moon Rising"...Mr Nicholl's, songs about train journeys...all yours...

    Really looking forward to reading about the next few days.

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  2. ^"Mr Nicholls" NO apostrophe. Sorry - iPhone auto-correct in action :(

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  3. Hi guys you are so lucky to see Saigon and sounds like the trains have been a huge adventure and none of you will be knocking British Rail!!! My playlist would be from Miss Saigon the Musical "The Heat is on in Saigon" and "Bui-Doi" which is very apt for all the things you will see while you are there.
    Enjoy.

    Paddy so looking forward to seeing you.

    Loads of love Mum x x x x x

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  4. Roger NichollsAugust 03, 2011

    Well Good Morning Vietnam, well you arrived very "Early in the Morning" to quote Vanity Fair! Hello to Jane as well,I'd got a couple of your songs up my sleeve but credit to you, they're good ones! I had mentioned "The Heat is on" in an earlier post but it's by another Ex Eagle Gen Frey, Don's hit was the "Boys of Summer" although their voices are similar.

    There are quite a few songs about trains but for my set today I'm going for the Canadian folk rocker Bruce Cockburn and his "Night Train" as the feel of the song really seems to capture the mood you trekkers have described. Another "Nighttrain" came from Guns n' Roses so let's put that one for fun. A group called Heavy Stereo had a (very) minor hit with "Mouse in a Hole" so there's a dedication to Molly & Josie's friend.

    We haven't heard from Mumford & Sons yet so "The Cave" goes into the set today together with a 60's psyche record by the Bystanders called "Cave of Clear Light". Now those caves are mighty interesting friends, they will not be filled with clear light I suspect and you might need a "Guiding Light" (Muse).
    I definitely go with Jane's war songs, "Orange Crush", brilliant, etc, but let me add another from the 60's psyche period, Eric Burdon & the Animals "Sky Pilot" which on its initial release was spread over both sides of a 45, a veritable anti-war tone poem!
    As Neil Young sang, "Keep on Rocking in the Free World".

    Love & Respect

    Roger Nicholls

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  5. The places you are visiting I've only read of in books or seen in James Bond films - can't wait to see the photo's. Enjoy soaking up the culture and I hope a bit of sun. Casebow Clan x PS Making the poster Megan! :-)

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  6. Glenn Frey...I KNEW that...of course I knew that...*shuffles off muttering to self and looking embarrassed*

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  7. Hi Jack & the Gang, great to hear from you and glad you enjoyed yet another interesting experience on the night train. Hope the Tunnels live up to expectations - sure they will. The Mekong delta also sounds very exciting and you will have so much to tell everybody on your return, that as you say will not be long now. Meantime hope you all enjoy the rest of your wonderful experience that will surely live forever. Meanwhile our own contribution to the songs is Bert Bacharach, 'Trains and Boats and Planes' as we are old enough to remember!!!
    Have fun all of you.
    Love Jacks Nannie & Gramps xx

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  8. OK. I feel I too need to join in on this playlist and offer you - Dire Straits, 'Tunnel of Love' and although not quite right, Mika (Mekong), 'Happy Ending!' Cheesy I know but I just had to. Hope you enjoy the last fabulous days and soak up the rest of the atmosphere on your trip - it will stay with you forever. How the hell Lucy you're going to get a rug & a lantern home, God only knows! I wonder who you take after!! Love you loads and can't wait to catch up.
    Big hugs and kisses
    The Bryants
    XXX
    s

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